


Four Christmas Deductions He Got (And One He Missed)

by afteriwake



Series: Domestic Bliss [5]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Morning, Christmas Presents, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Engagement, Established Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Fluff, John Is So Done, John is Not Amused, John is a Saint, M/M, POV John Watson, Sherlock Being Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes Has No Boundaries, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Kissing, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson in Love, Sherlock Is A Bit Not Good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 08:30:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5490560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John keeps hiding Sherlock’s presents (which are already wrapped) in the flat but Sherlock keeps finding them and deducing what they are and it’s starting to get on his nerves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Christmas Deductions He Got (And One He Missed)

**Author's Note:**

> So over on Tumblr I'm doing something called [Project: Bring Some Holiday Cheer](http://penaltywaltz.tumblr.com/post/135405692533/i-want-to-do-something-to-make-some-people-smile) and **imnova** at Tumblr had requested a cheer-up fic for Tumblr user **itsjohnlock** and while we were working out details I mentioned my "Domestic Bliss" series and we decided the best bet for a cheer-up fic would be an addiction to that series. I have to say, I had a lot of fun writing this fic even if this isn't one of my ships. Hopefully this will cheer you up for the holidays!
> 
> Also for anyone interested in the gifts, [these are the leather gloves](http://www.bluefly.com/all-gloves-black-leather-itouch-tech/p/333518501/detail.fly?pcatid=cat10018), [this is the dressing gown](https://www.derek-rose.com/men/clothing/mens-dressing-gowns/mens-piped-dressing-gown-royal-40-cotton-satin-stripe-navy.html), [this is the cashmere scarf](http://www.bluefly.com/dibi-charcoal-black-plaid/p/378049601/detail.fly?pcatid=cat10018) (just pretend it's actually cashmere) and [this is the new addition to the household](http://s29.postimg.org/54oz8tb5j/97959852_jpg_336w.jpg).

**The Leather Gloves**

For their second Christmas together, John had decided he wanted to splurge on gifts. He knew Sherlock wanted practical gifts. That was his preference but that didn’t mean he couldn’t give him _luxurious_ practical gifts. He’d managed to get some good deals on most of them. He’d gotten them early, had them wrapped quite nicely, and had them well-hidden in the flat.

Or, at least, he had _thought_ he had them well hidden.

He had come home from the surgery to find Sherlock holding up the slim box wrapped in silver and blue striped foil wrapping paper with silver ribbon, looking it over. He groaned inwardly as he saw Sherlock examine it. “Sherlock, how did you find your gifts?” he asked.

“You did a horrid job hiding them,” he said, hefting the package slightly. “Leather gloves. I could use these before Christmas, if you don’t mind.”

John’s eyes widened. “What?”

He turned to face John, holding the package up next to his face. “Italian leather gloves. Black. Soft exterior with elastic detail at the wrist. Cashmere lined. Approximately nine inches long. And they’re the type that will let me use mobile devices while wearing them. A very satisfactory choice, John. You do indeed know me well.”

John stared at him before shaking his head. “Do you need them now?” he asked.

Sherlock nodded. “My other pair were trashed yesterday afternoon,” he said.

John sighed. “Go ahead,” he said. Damn it, this was going to be a long wait to Christmas…

**The Dressing Gown**

Due to some…unfortunate…experiments he had conducted while bored, Sherlock had managed to ruin all but one of the dressing gowns in his possession. So amongst his friends they had all decided to get him new dressing gowns. He knew from having lived with Sherlock for so long that his tastes were simple, but he felt it might be nice to get him something classy. Something elegant. He’d had quite a few fantasies about Sherlock wearing nothing but the navy blue dressing gown with the polka dots and the satin stripe design. He’d _almost_ been tempted to give it to him early but since he had the gloves already there was no point.

So it was disheartening seeing him with the snowflake printed Christmas package in his hands three days after he hid it in the basement flat.

“You’re purposefully hunting for your gifts now,” John said, crossing his arms.

“I need a new dressing gown,” he said with a shrug. “I spilled acid on the last one just now.”

John shook his head and sighed. “I have plans for this one. Ruin it and I may strangle you.”

“Plans?” Sherlock asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, plans that involve you in just the dressing gown,” John said.

Sherlock fingered the package. “Medium-weight pure cotton with a satin stripe design, a traditional shawl collar, rifle cuffs and breast and side pockets…I could wear just that.” He grinned slowly. “Right now, perhaps.”

“What about your experiment?” John asked.

“Sod the experiment.”

“All right.”

**The Cashmere Scarf**

He was running out of gifts for Sherlock. At this rate he’d have nothing left to give him, if Sherlock didn’t stop “stumbling” across the gifts. He wasn’t sure where else he could hide them, aside from Mrs. Hudson’s flat or possibly his office at the surgery or Lestrade’s office at Scotland Yard.

He had the feeling he should move the last gift he had on hand soon, but he got so wrapped up in cases and patients that he forgot. So it shouldn’t have surprised him when he saw Sherlock with the lumpy package in the two shades of red in his hand that had been hidden in the kitchen cabinet.

Now he _knew_ Sherlock was hunting for his gifts.

He shut his eyes and counted to ten. “Sherlock, you put that back.”

“Need a scarf.”

“You have ten scarves.”

“Need a _warm_ scarf.”

“You have four warm scarves.”

“Need _this_ warm scarf.”

John opened his eyes. “How do you know what it looks like?”

“Charcoal & black, cashmere, plaid pattern. Classic and elegant. It’s more refined than my others.” Sherlock looked over at John. “Please, John?”

“Sherlock, how on earth are you figuring out all the gifts I’m getting you? They’re already wrapped,” he asked exasperatedly.

Sherlock looked just a smidge guilty. “Internet browsing history and emails.”

John shook his head and pinched his nose. “Privacy, Sherlock.”

“I know. Old habits,” he said. He leaned over and kissed John’s cheek. “I do love these gifts, though.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

**The First Edition Book**

He had splurged on one non-practical gift. He’d gotten a fan on his blog who was a rare book dealer, and he’d come across a first printing of a book by someone who was referred to as “America’s Sherlock Holmes,” nicknamed after the Victorian ancestor Sherlock himself was named after. John’s fan thought John might be interested in it. It was a book that had been on the market for £1000 but he was offering it at a steal for £300 and the chance to have lunch with John. Sounded like a fair trade-off to him.

He had it wrapped carefully. The book was nearly a hundred years old and he treated it carefully. He didn’t want to hide it in any place where it could get ruined so he simply put it in his office at the surgery. At least there he assumed Sherlock wouldn’t think to look for it.

But, once again, he was wrong.

When Sherlock picked him up for lunch a few days before Christmas, John saw him staring reverentially at the gold and green plaid wrapped paper, and he hung his head. “Go ahead. Tell me what it is,” he said.

“A first edition copy of Scientific Murder Investigation by Luke S. May,” he said quietly.

“I give up,” John said. “Everything I’ve gotten for you, you’ve figured it out. You’ve guessed all your gifts. I have nothing left to give you.”

“I’m sorry,” Sherlock said, looking at John. “Forgive me?”

John sighed and nodded. “Fine.”

**The Puppy (With The Engagement Ring)**

It hit him, the day before Christmas. A gift that Sherlock wouldn’t see coming. And it all came completely by surprise. Molly and Lestrade had gotten a dog a while back, a female beagle, and it had a dalliance with a basset hound while in heat and got pregnant. They’d given all the puppies to new homes except the runt, and Molly asked if perhaps John and Sherlock might want a puppy. John knew about Sherlock’s dog he’d had when he was young, Redbeard, and thought perhaps he might be ready for another one, especially when he saw just how cute the little dog was.

While he was chatting with Molly and Lestrade, somehow the topic turned to marriage, and it got John thinking that maybe, after all this time Sherlock might not be adverse to making things legally official. When he tentatively broached the idea Molly and Lestrade brought up ideas, and when Molly had the idea of using the new puppy as part of the proposal an idea hit John. Hopefully it would be something Sherlock didn’t see coming.

When Christmas morning dawned he left his bed before the sun rose. Ever since he and Sherlock began sharing a bed he slept longer. He had the feeling Sherlock would wake up shortly, but hopefully Lestrade would be where he was supposed to be. He got dressed quickly and quietly and made his way out of the flat, heading to the coffee shop on the corner. Lestrade was there with the carrier and he had even gotten two coffees, getting one for each of them. They chatted a moment while John had the coffee to warm up and then John turned around and headed back to Baker Street with the puppy.

He had lucked out and saw that Sherlock was still asleep. He took the ring he’d bought and attached it to the collar with the special tag that he had gotten and put them on the puppy, and then he bundled the puppy in his arms and went back to his bedroom. He looked down and looked at Sherlock, sleeping in the bed before setting the puppy on his side of the bed and watching her waddle over to Sherlock before licking his face. He chuckled as Sherlock opened his eyes to see the dog there. “When did you become a dog?” he asked sleepily.

“Happy Christmas,” John said.

Sherlock sat up, and after a moment he looked down at the puppy, who sniffed at Sherlock and then moved over towards his lap. “You got me a puppy?”

“Us a puppy, but yes.”

Sherlock lifted up his hand, hesitating a moment, and then scratched the puppy behind her ears. “He…she…?”

“She,” John said, moving to the bed.

“She doesn’t look like Redbeard,” Sherlock said. “I’m glad.” 

“Well, she has a question for you,” John said. “On her collar.”

Sherlock gave him a confused look and then picked the puppy up and moved the collar around until he could read the tag. “Will you marry me?” he read and then he slowly lowered the puppy slightly, looking at John with wide eyes. “John…”

“I could give you a gushy proposal, but I thought this was cutesy enough,” John said. “But I would rather like to be your husband. Nothing would make me happier.”

Sherlock lowered the dog even more and then leaned forward, reaching between then and grasping the front of John’s jumper to pull him forward. “I would like to be your husband very much,” he said, giving John a grin as their new puppy barked excitedly.

“Good,” John said, leaning in more and kissing him. He had managed to surprise Sherlock after all, which was a feat in itself, but to get a yes to his marriage proposal was going to be the highlight of his day. Nothing was going to top this, he could tell.


End file.
